MFA releases 2018 schedule, changes to super regionals


MFA releases 2018 schedule, changes to super regionals

By Jeremiah Wooten

This article was updated on Dec. 22 to include MFA's response about the discontinuation of the Atlanta Super Regional and the current status of the Waco Regional location. The article was again updated throughout the spring to reflect the current status of confirmed and unconfirmed venues.

Music for All announced changes to its super regional and national competitions and updated classification numbers alongside its 2018 schedule today.

Beginning in 2018, super regionals will be expanded to allow a maximum of 80 competing bands. Up to 50 bands would perform in prelims on Friday and the remaining 30 would perform in prelims on Saturday, with finals still taking place Saturday evening.

"For the last several years, Music for All has experienced an increased demand for participation in our Super Regional Championships." Music for All said in its fall information brochure. "We have a responsibility to provide access for as many bands as possible to our Bands of America Championships."

The prelims competition at super regionals will now include two different adjudication panels that would alternate blocks throughout prelims. Grand Nationals will similarly implement the alternating prelims panels across two days of prelims competition. More information about this new adjudication process will be released in the adjudication handbook, published each May.

The organization also announced new school enrollment classifications. These classification numbers are reviewed and adjusted every three years. The last adjustment was made prior to the 2015 season. For 2018, the upper limit of class AA has been expanded from 1200 to 1250. That shifts the range for classes AAA and AAAA up by 50 students as well. The new enrollment numbers are listed below:

Class A: up to 600 students (remains the same)
Class AA: 601–1250 students (previously 601–1200)
Class AAA: 1251–1750 students (previously 1201–1700)
Class AAAA: 1751+ students (previously 1701+)

Kennesaw Mountain performs at the Atlanta in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Oct. 28, 2017. BOA will not be returning to the venue this year. // Photo by Claire Albrecht.
For the first time since 2003, there will not be an Atlanta Super Regional. And for the first time since the Georgia Dome's construction, there will not be a regional in Atlanta.

"The cost of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium is prohibitive," said Deborah Asbill, MFA vice president of marketing and communications.

The former super regional has also seen declining enrollment over that past few years.

The super regional is being replaced by the Powder Springs Regional, which is being moved from its typical date early in the season, to Oct. 27. Additionally, a return to Camping World Stadium in Orlando is expecting to draw many of the same bands that would normally come to Atlanta as well as some additional Florida bands.

After very low enrollment at both first week regionals last season, BOA has decided to shift back their first week of competition to Sept. 22, leaving just seven weeks of competition before Grand Nationals on Nov. 8–10.

Bands of America's growing participation in Texas has led to yet another new Texas regional. Waco will be the site of the newest regional in the Lone Star state, though a stadium has yet to be confirmed as of mid-December. This additional regional should help alleviate over-enrollment at the Dallas and Houston regionals in recent years.

The following schedule contains dates for many fall events, including those operated by BOA and independently-organized regional-quality events. As other events and dates are announced and confirmed, they will be added to the schedule below. If you have any contest information you think we should add, shoot us an email at tips@hornrank.com or fill out this brief form.

*Italics indicate a regional-quality competition that is not affiliated with Music for All or Bands of America but consistently features nationally-renowned participants and adjudicators.

Sept. 22, 2018
McAllen, Texas — McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium
Midland, Texas — Grande Communications Stadium
Oxford, Ohio — Miami University

Sept. 29, 2018
Austin, Texas — Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex
*[Blue Springs, Missouri], Golden Regiment Invtl. — Blue Springs High School
Bowling Green, Ohio — Bowling Green State University
Clarksville, Tennessee — Austin Peay State University
*Owasso, [Oklahoma], Marching Invtl. — Owasso High School

Oct. 6, 2018
Bedford, Texas — Pennington Field
*Bentonville, [Arkansas], Marching Invtl. — Bentonville High School
Houston, Texas — Woodforest Bank Stadium
Jacksonville, Alabama — Jacksonville State University

Oct. 13, 2018
*[Austin, Texas], Texas Marching Classic — Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex
Canton, Ohio — Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium
Gaffney, South Carolina — Gaffney High School
Orlando, Florida — Camping World Stadium
*[Tulsa, Oklahoma], Renegade Review — Union High School
Waco, Texas — Waco ISD Stadium

Oct. 19–20, 2018
Indianapolis Super Regional — Lucas Oil Stadium

Oct. 20, 2018
Newark, Delaware — University of Delaware
Pleasant Hill, California — Diablo Valley College

Oct. 26–27, 2018
St. Louis Super Regional — The Dome at America's Center

Oct. 27, 2018
Powder Springs, Georgia — McEachern High School
St. George, Utah — Dixie State University

Nov. 2–3, 2018
San Antonio Super Regional — Alamodome

Nov. 3, 2018
Van Nuys, California — LA Valley College

Nov. 8–10, 2018
Grand National Championships — Lucas Oil Stadium